Metallica have dropped further hints about their new album in a shot uploaded from the studio on Instagram.

Showing Robert Trujillo playing bass in front of a mixing desk, with the caption "rocking along", it's yet more confirmation that the follow up to 2008's Death Magnetic is forthcoming. 

 

Rockin along . . .

Een foto die is geplaatst door Metallica (@metallica) op Jan 16, 2015 at 5:54 PST

In an an interview with Rock Cellar, the bassist revealed that the recording process is well underway "We're just blueprinting everything right now. There are a lot of ideas, a lot of song bodies; you gotta go through the process. For me personally, I'm really excited about what we've been able to jam out."

"I don't like to make predictions, but I'd like to think – at least for me – that I'm really happy with what's happening instrumentally. So let's see how that journey continues. Writing a Metallica song is a journey and a process, and it takes time. But that's what's special about it. Metallica likes to nurture a song, nurture an arrangement." 

Fans may recall that Metallica gave a hint at the new material during 2014 rehearsals, releasing a demo of 'Lords Of Summer'.